Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune
“The process sped up the moment you stepped foot into Charon’sCrossing. And if you try to leave, the same thing will happen to you thathappened to Cameron.”Wallace reared back. “I’m trapped here.”Nelson sighed. “That’s not—”“It is. You’re telling me that I can’t leave. Mei kidnapped me and broughtme here, and I’m a damn prisoner!”“Bull,” Nelson said. “There’s a staircase at the back of the house. It’lltake you to the fourth floor. On the fourth floor is a door. You can go throughthat door, and all of this, everything will fade away. You’ll leave this placebehind, and you’ll know only peace.”It struck Wallace then, something he hadn’t even considered. He didn’tknow why he hadn’t seen it before. It was as clear as day. “You’re stillhere.”Nelson eyed him warily. “I am.”“And you’re dead.”“Nothing gets by you, does it?”“You haven’t crossed.” Wallace’s voice began to rise. “Which meanseverything you’re saying is bullshit.”Nelson placed his hand on Wallace’s arm, squeezing tighter than Wallaceexpected. “It’s not. I wouldn’t lie to you, not about this. If you leave thisplace, you’ll end up like Cameron.”“But you’re not.”“No,” Nelson said slowly. “Because I’ve never left.”“How long have you been—”Nelson sniffed. “It’s rude to ask about another person’s death.”Wallace blanched, uncharacteristically flustered. “I didn’t mean to—”Nelson laughed. “I’m giving you crap, boy. Need to have my fun where Ican get it. Been dead for a few years.”Wallace reeled. Years. “But you’re still here,” he said faintly.“I am. And I have my reasons, but never you mind what those are. I stayhere because I choose to. I know the risks. I know what it means. They triedto make me move on, but I gave ’em the ol’ what for.” He shook his head.“But you can’t let that affect what Hugo needs to do for you. Take the timeyou need, Wallace. There’s no rush, so long as you realize this is the last
place you’ll ever be before you cross, if you know what’s good for you. Ifyou can accept that, then we’ll be right as rain. Look. Here he comes.”Wallace turned back toward the window. Hugo was walking down theroad, hands in the pockets of his apron, head bowed.“Such a good boy,” Nelson said fondly. “Empathetic almost to a fault,ever since he was a tyke. Causes him to take the weight of the world on hisshoulders. You would do well to listen to him and learn from him. I don’tknow if you could find yourself in better hands. Remember that before youstart hurling accusations.”Mei waited for Hugo on the porch. Hugo looked up at her, smiling tiredly.When they spoke, their voices were muffled but clear. “It’s all right,” he said.“Cameron’s … well. He’s Cameron. Wallace?”“Inside,” Mei said. Then, “Do you think it’ll bring the Manager?”Hugo shook his head. “Probably not. But weirder things have happened.We’ll explain if he does come.”“The Manager?” Wallace whispered.“Ooh, you don’t want to know,” Nelson muttered, picking up his cane ashe shuffled back toward his chair. “Trust me on that. Mei and Hugo’s boss.Nasty fellow. Pray you don’t ever have to meet him. If you do, then I suggestyou do whatever he says.” He brushed a hand over Apollo’s back as the dogrose. Apollo barked happily as he paced back and forth in front of the door.He backed up as it opened, Mei talking a mile a minute as Hugo trailed inafter her. Apollo circled around the both of them. Hugo held out his hand.Apollo sniffed his fingers and tried to lick them, but his tongue went rightthrough Hugo’s hand.“All right?” Hugo asked even as Mei glared at Wallace.No, Wallace wasn’t all right. Nothing about this was all right. “Whydidn’t you tell me I’m a prisoner?”Hugo sighed. “Grandad.”“What?” Nelson said. “Had to scare him straight.” He paused,considering. “Something you probably don’t know a thing about, isn’t thatright? Because of the whole gay—”“Grandad.”“I’m old. I’m allowed to say whatever I want. You know this.”“Pain in my ass,” Hugo mumbled, but Wallace could see the quiet smileon his face. The hook tugged gently in his chest, warm and soft. Hugo’s smile
- Page 19 and 20: you died, you continued to wear the
- Page 21 and 22: Persian rug he’d spent an exorbit
- Page 23 and 24: to show some kind of emotion. He wo
- Page 25 and 26: He burst out laughing. Yes, he coul
- Page 27 and 28: She grinned. “Oh, man. Just you w
- Page 29 and 30: made it feel like so much more. It
- Page 31 and 32: He said, “I…” He didn’t kno
- Page 33 and 34: She wiped her eyes, still chuckling
- Page 35 and 36: “Oh. Yeah, no. I get it. Yes, thi
- Page 37 and 38: He blinked slowly, becoming aware o
- Page 39 and 40: They rounded a corner, and he could
- Page 41 and 42: He stared at her. “We’re seeing
- Page 43 and 44: CHAPTER4He expected the inside of t
- Page 45 and 46: The second time you share tea, you
- Page 47 and 48: was … calming? Or so close to it
- Page 49 and 50: know I don’t have time for this.
- Page 51 and 52: “And there’s … what?”Hugo d
- Page 53 and 54: questions. I’ll do my best to ans
- Page 55 and 56: “I’m dead,” Wallace said.Hugo
- Page 57 and 58: learned from her mother, a heavyset
- Page 59 and 60: “There aren’t.”“Which means
- Page 61 and 62: Hugo looked at him. “You’re a g
- Page 63 and 64: CHAPTER6The first obstacle was the
- Page 65 and 66: At least he tried to.It didn’t wo
- Page 67 and 68: terrible as the rest of him. All so
- Page 69: “Saw one, did you?”He whirled a
- Page 73 and 74: CHAPTER7Apollo seemed to know where
- Page 75 and 76: Hugo chuckled. “A little older th
- Page 77 and 78: Hugo shook his head. “No, I’m n
- Page 79 and 80: “Hush,” Hugo said. “Don’t l
- Page 81 and 82: “But he’s here.”“He is,”
- Page 83 and 84: “You don’t need to sleep.”Wal
- Page 85 and 86: Wallace’s eyes bulged as he looke
- Page 87 and 88: “No.”“But you’re sitting on
- Page 89 and 90: Nelson nodded toward the sconces on
- Page 91 and 92: Wallace hadn’t even heard him app
- Page 93 and 94: “Do what?” Mei asked as she rea
- Page 95 and 96: The hook—always there, and he was
- Page 97 and 98: And strangely, he thought he could
- Page 99 and 100: moved around from table to table, t
- Page 101 and 102: him.” And then, under her breath,
- Page 103 and 104: woke up. He went to work. He stayed
- Page 105 and 106: CHAPTER9Charon’s Crossing stayed
- Page 107 and 108: Mei gasped. “They do? Oh my god,
- Page 109 and 110: “Obviously,” he said faintly.
- Page 111 and 112: that’s taboo.” She looked away.
- Page 113 and 114: “It’s like you, in a way,” sh
- Page 115 and 116: “Nope.”Wallace groaned. “Then
- Page 117 and 118: things. He had expensive clothes, a
- Page 119 and 120: Nelson grinned. “Fair.” He rubb
“The process sped up the moment you stepped foot into Charon’s
Crossing. And if you try to leave, the same thing will happen to you that
happened to Cameron.”
Wallace reared back. “I’m trapped here.”
Nelson sighed. “That’s not—”
“It is. You’re telling me that I can’t leave. Mei kidnapped me and brought
me here, and I’m a damn prisoner!”
“Bull,” Nelson said. “There’s a staircase at the back of the house. It’ll
take you to the fourth floor. On the fourth floor is a door. You can go through
that door, and all of this, everything will fade away. You’ll leave this place
behind, and you’ll know only peace.”
It struck Wallace then, something he hadn’t even considered. He didn’t
know why he hadn’t seen it before. It was as clear as day. “You’re still
here.”
Nelson eyed him warily. “I am.”
“And you’re dead.”
“Nothing gets by you, does it?”
“You haven’t crossed.” Wallace’s voice began to rise. “Which means
everything you’re saying is bullshit.”
Nelson placed his hand on Wallace’s arm, squeezing tighter than Wallace
expected. “It’s not. I wouldn’t lie to you, not about this. If you leave this
place, you’ll end up like Cameron.”
“But you’re not.”
“No,” Nelson said slowly. “Because I’ve never left.”
“How long have you been—”
Nelson sniffed. “It’s rude to ask about another person’s death.”
Wallace blanched, uncharacteristically flustered. “I didn’t mean to—”
Nelson laughed. “I’m giving you crap, boy. Need to have my fun where I
can get it. Been dead for a few years.”
Wallace reeled. Years. “But you’re still here,” he said faintly.
“I am. And I have my reasons, but never you mind what those are. I stay
here because I choose to. I know the risks. I know what it means. They tried
to make me move on, but I gave ’em the ol’ what for.” He shook his head.
“But you can’t let that affect what Hugo needs to do for you. Take the time
you need, Wallace. There’s no rush, so long as you realize this is the last
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